1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a striker that is used in creating rhythmic notes, and more particularly, to a striker in the form of a drumstick having a built in weight and balance feature capable of changing the impact/force ratios of the drumstick when the drumstick is manipulated and strikes a surface based upon its speed, momentum, centripetal force, and fluid dynamics, i.e. the drumstick""s mass distribution change and mass balance distribution.
2. Description of Prior Developments
In the musical industry there have been many developments and improvements made in the field of drumsticks and the like. One motive for these developments has been for producing an effective and unusual visual effect. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,241 which describes a drumstick that can be colored to fit the needs of an individual or a specific concert use. Also, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,363 which describes a drumstick with liquid mercury therein which causes an effect of flashes of light, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,079 which describes a system for selectively illuminating a drumstick so as to produce a stunning effect during a musical performance. Another motive for improving drumsticks has been specifically for the reason of imparting to the drumstick the ability to produce unusual or different sounds from a drum or other percussion instrument (See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,278 B), or produce sound from the drumstick itself (See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,250). There have also been attempts to try to improve controlling the weight, balance and acoustical properties of drumsticks such as that which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,174,660. However, while the prior art. describes various types of devices which fulfill their respective and particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose or even remotely suggest a unique physical structure for a drumstick that has a major influence on the impact energy of the drumstick, and is not, just for the purpose of manufacturing an attractive appearing drumstick. In accordance with the features of the present invention, and in view partly of the way the drumsticks according to the present invention are used, there is described, a concept for a change in the weight balance of the drumstick, and a change in the drumstick""s kinetic energy. This results in a higher tip mass for the drumstick, and therefore a greater overall impact to the drum.
Additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and some advantages will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention in accordance with various features and combinations as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
The improved features for drumsticks with regard to their physical characteristics, and the resulting advantages thereof, are obtained in accordance with the features of the present invention by employing a striker used manually in creating rhythmic notes and adopted to change the physical characteristics of its acoustics during use by the user. The striker which achieves this result comprises an outer hollow tube-like body member including a handle portion. The striker also includes a pliable tube-like structure positioned within the outer hollow body member, the pliable structure changing its shape during use of the striker, and a liquid medium located within the pliable structure. The pliable structure, is shaped to restrict the liquid to the handle portion of the striker, and as a rotational force/motion is-applied by a user to the striker, the liquid is forced via centrifugal force outwardly toward a striking area of the striker thereby resulting in a change of balance of the striker.
Another embodiment of the present invention illustrates a particular striker in the form of a drumstick capable of varying the physical characteristics of an impact of the drumstick to a surface thereby varying the sound that the drumstick can produce when playing percussive type impact musical products. The drumstick which exhibits these features includes an outer hollow tube-like body member including a handle portion that is held by the hand of the user. A pliable tube-like structure is positioned within the outer hollow body member, the pliable structure changing its shape during use of the drumstick. A liquid medium is located within the pliable structure. The pliable structure is shaped to restrict the liquid to the handle portion of the drumstick, and as a rotational force/motion is applied by a user to the drumstick, the liquid is forced via centrifugal force outwardly toward a striking area of the drumstick thereby resulting in a change of balance of the drumstick.